The National Rifle Association released the following statement this afternoon concerning the nomination by President Obama of Judge Merrick Garland to fill the late Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the US Supreme Court.
SCOTUS Nomination: Merrick Garland
“With
Justice Scalia’s tragic passing, there is no longer a majority of
support among the justices for the fundamental, individual right to own a
firearm for self-defense. Four justices
believe law-abiding Americans have that right – and four justices do
not. President Obama has nothing but contempt for the Second Amendment
and law-abiding gun owners. Obama has already nominated two Supreme
Court justices who oppose the right to own firearms
and there is absolutely no reason to think he has changed his approach
this time. In fact, a basic analysis of Merrick Garland’s judicial
record shows that he does not respect our fundamental, individual right
to keep and bear arms for self-defense. Therefore,
the National Rifle Association, on behalf of our five million members
and tens of millions of supporters across the country, strongly opposes
the nomination of Merrick Garland for the U.S. Supreme Court.” Chris W.
Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA
ü
Merrick
Garland’s record on the Second Amendment is unacceptable to anyone who
respects the U.S. Constitution and an individual’s fundamental right to
self-protection.
ü
He
is the most anti-gun nominee in recent history. This should come as no
surprise, given President Obama’s disdain for the Second Amendment.
ü
He has consistently shown a complete disregard of the rights of law-abiding gun owners.
ü
Garland’s history of anti-Second Amendment rulings support the conclusion that were he to be confirmed he would vote to overturn
Heller.
o
In
2007, he voted to give D.C. a second chance to have its handgun ban
upheld after a three-judge panel struck it down. At the time, this was
the most significant
Second Amendment case in America.
o
In 2004, Garland voted against rehearing another Second Amendment case (Seegars v. Gonzales), effectively casting a vote against the individual right
to keep and bear arms.
o
Justice Scalia was the author of
Heller v McDonald. Heller affirmed that the Second Amendment is an individual right. The
Heller decision stands in the way of gun-control supporters’ ultimate goal of banning and confiscating guns.
o
If
Heller is overturned, the Second Amendment for all intents and purposes would cease to exist.
o
In
2000, Garland voted in favor of the federal government’s plan to retain
Americans’ personal information from gun purchase background checks
despite federal
laws prohibiting national firearm registration and requiring the
destruction of these records.
o
Judge Garland weighed in on several significant firearms-related cases, including
Parker, Seegars, NRA v. Reno,. He voted against the rights of firearm owners on each occasion.
ü
The
examples of Garland’s disdain for the right to keep and bear arms go on
and on, including in a major case upholding the then-existing Clinton
“assault
weapons” ban against a constitutional challenge
ü
It’s
almost certain that Garland agrees with Hillary Clinton when she said
“the Supreme Court is wrong” that the Second Amendment protects an
individual
right.
ü
In
his nomination, President Obama has again placed partisanship and
antagonism towards gun owners above the higher callings of his office.
ü
If
Garland is confirmed, Obama would be taking America back in time to an
era where Supreme Court justices uphold the anti-gun policies of the
president.
Obama is hoping Garland will overturn the Supreme Court precedent that
stands in the way of confiscatory gun control, like the gun ban and
confiscation programs implemented in Australia.
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